The Midnight Gospel
By Ava Fineza
I didn’t really mean to start watching The Midnight Gospel. It was pretty late into the night(or alternatively, pretty early into the morning), and the psychedelic colors and fun animation appealed to my tired brain. Less than thirty minutes later, however, my brain was anything but tired. The Midnight Gospel is a stimulating and crazy journey from beginning to end, and while no two planets Clancy visits are ever the same, each episode is similar in that they will definitely get you thinking. The show is addicting, but if you choose to watch it I suggest not blowing through it in one day. Though the content is very far from being holy and Christian, the series did seem reminiscent of the gospel, and by placing time between each episode, you can better take in the words of each guest and let your mind be submerged in what they discuss. The animation style is wonderfully unique - the addition of gory death and violence to the cute, soft characters keeps you on your toes, not giving your eyes a break cutting from sailor cats to people getting shotgunned in the face. Lastly, the crucial part of what sets Midnight Gospel apart from other shows is the interviews, the dialogue. Clancy and his guests talk about religion, drugs, meditation, forgiveness, death, and more. It was very interesting to hear about ideals and beliefs that I wasn’t aware of before, which might not be as intriguing to others, but I do watch Ted-Eds for fun, so there’s that. Each interviewee has an amazing story to tell of their life and the wisdom they’ve gained throughout it, and paired with Clancy’s comfortable humor, even the most absurd topics are made manageable to get through. The Midnight Gospel is a trippy, beautiful experience - the perfect show to take your mind off of things for a short time as you traverse the galaxy and explore the recesses of the mind.
logline: A spacecaster named Clancy meets and interviews beings from all over with the help of his universe simulator.
Fun Fact: The interviews from all of Clancy’s spacecasts are from a real podcast hosted by Duncan Trussell (the voice of Clancy) called “Duncan Trussell Family Hour.” The material for the show took over seven years to accumulate.
My Favorite Character: Duncan Trussell as Clancy - The clear choice, though maybe I’m cheating as he is the only character in every episode. Clancy is a wonderful host, making each guest feel comfortable and welcome, adding humor when needed but not outshining the interviewee, but my favorite moments of him are when he’s alone and doesn’t have to act all cheery and animated(pun very much so intended). We see more of his personal life and backstory in smatterings throughout the first season, and in the case of a second season, I’m excited to see what internal journey Clancy will go through.
My Favorite Spacecast: Episode 5, titled “Annihilation of Joy.” This episode is thrilling and depressing and hopeful and I love it. The spacecast and discussion wonderfully plays into the storyline, and by the end, I felt like I could see the world a little differently. I really like this episode.
Where to Watch: Netflix
Number of Seasons: 1, possible renewal
Rating: TV-MA for sex & nudity, violence & gore, strong language, and usage of alcohol & drugs.
Image Source: Netflix via New on Netflix UK
The final song of the first season. Perfect to listen to and just sit and think, or perhaps just sit.